VIDEO: Vontaze Burfict Should Have Been Ejected Earlier for a Separate Helmet to Helmet Hit vs Colts

Raiders linebacker Vontaze Burfict certainly didn't get off easy when he took a season-long suspension for his helmet-to-helmet hit on Jack Doyle of the Colts, but he actually got away with a cheap play prior to the one that got him suspended. Early in the second quarter of the Oakland Raiders' Week 4 matchup against Indianapolis, he absolutely obliterated Colts running back Nyheim Hines with another vicious helmet-to-helmet hit.

Here’s the other helmet-to-helmet hit that Vontaze Burfict delivered during Sunday’s game: second quarter, 13:24 left, and Burfict launches and blasts Colts’ RB Nyheim Hines away from the play. Later came the hit on Colts’ TE Jack Doyle that got him ejected and suspended. pic.twitter.com/8Dvb7xPZgo
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) October 5, 2019

While it's all fine and good that he was ultimately ejected from the game for the hit on Doyle, it's an absolute travesty that he managed to get away with such a brutal play without even drawing a flag.

It's hard to believe the NFL's commitment to player safety when plays like this go essentially unnoticed until long after fact.

KICK VONTAZE BURFICT OUT FOREVER!!! pic.twitter.com/91IQghasuf
— Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball) September 29, 2019

And for a guy who has a reputation for headhunting, it's hard to imagine why there aren't eyes on him on every play to prevent things like this. He plays the game dirty and he's served multiple suspensions for it before, so just keep him in check.

Burfict got what was coming to him in the end, but it only came after multiple dangerous moments that should not have been allowed to occur in the first place.